Chapter 3 – Visitor
Fiona just sat there a minute, speechless. Then she asked the first thing that came out of her mouth, "Are you sure? How do you know?"
Molly shook her head. "Positive. I'm not exactly sure how I knew, it was like an instinct. It was weird – when the spell was broken, it's as if it were never cast. All the memories just came rushing back."
"Aye, and that's what usually happens when a spell is broken." Bricriu paused a moment, then said, "I have to go."
As he was about to exit through the window, Fi called out, "Wait! You never told us why you were here."
"I think I'll leave that to your father to explain. Until next time, little duck." With that, Bricriu went out the same way he came in – through the closed window.
Molly and Fi just stared at it for a few minutes, each trying to think of something to say. Finally, Fi asked, "So, do I have any powers?"
Molly smiled at her daughter's bluntness. "Yes, but I'm not exactly sure what they are. I mean, I know what mine are, but they vary."
"What can you do?" Fi asked eagerly. She knew watching her mother do magic would be weird, but, hey, she was used to weird.
"Ummm..." Molly concentrated, as if trying to remember. "Well, I know I have telekinesis and levitation. Every witch does. But, more specifically, I remember I got psychic visions a lot, and could read minds pretty easily."
"Whoa....that's so cool!" Fi thought a moment. "I wonder what my powers will be..."
"You'll find out eventually." Molly smiled. "You were supposed to have gotten your powers when you turned 13, but my spell probably passed on to you and they didn't show."
Something had been bothering Fiona ever since her mother started telling her story. Now she knew what it was. "Mom, is Jack...?"
Molly sighed. "Unfortunately no. He was born too soon after my incident. In fact, I'm still a little surprised that you got powers and the sight."
"Just lucky, I guess. Although, I do feel a little bad for him." Fi gasped. "He is going to be so shocked when we tell him about this. And so is Carey, and Ned, and Irene..." Fi thought of Clu, but he was still at college.
"Actually, Fi, about that. We probably shouldn't tell them too soon...I mean, we're still getting over it..."
"Yeah, I guess your right." Then, Fi grinned. "Show me some of your magic! Please??"
Molly laughed. "I'll try, but I'm probably still a bit rusty." She looked down at the magic book, then concentrated. The book abruptly shut itself and floated up to the shelf at the top of Fi's closet. Then, it wedged itself in vertically. Molly was a bit taken aback. "Well, I guess not that rusty..."
Fi giggled, then said, "I want to try!" She copied her mother's movements and stared at the book. It was barely able to get itself off the shelf, and a foot away from the bed it dropped to the floor. Disappointed, Fi shrugged, "I guess I'll have to work on that."
Due to the giggle fit that ensued, both Molly and Fi failed to notice the knock at the door. When Jack opened it, they froze, taking on a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look. "Do I want to know?"
"No." Fi and Molly said in unison, instantly recovering, thus bringing on another round of laughter.
Rolling his eyes, Jack said, "Ned, Irene, and Carey are here for dinner. They're downstairs right now."
Molly sat up straight. "Oh no! I left the chicken in the oven!" She ran downstairs, and Fi and Jack could smell burnt stuffing all the way upstairs.
"Why was mom trying to cook again?" Fi asked.
"To prove to Irene that she could." This time, both Jack and Fi laughed as they went downstairs.
"Ah, now that was a good meal." Ned sighed contentedly. Everyone laughed. Fi and Jack had come down to find Molly sulking over a lost dinner, and Irene on her cell phone ordering Chinese food from the local take-out place. Chinese food containers lay all over the dining room table, and everyone was digesting after pigging out on sesame chicken, spare ribs, and fried rice. And everyone was trying not to tease Molly too much about her messed up dinner, but they were failing horribly.
"Poor guy, that chicken never had a chance." Carey teased.
"Look at it this way – I get two weeks rehearsals, scheduling-problem free." Irene smiled. She was Molly's, a singer who was currently trying to record her first solo album, manager and best friend. Irene also knew that Molly was known for being late or just canceling rehearsals, which was partially why she made the bet in the first place.
"Come on guys, stop it!" Molly could see that both Fi and Jack, her own children, were trying their hardest not to laugh. They couldn't, and started laughing hysterically, and everybody else joined in.
Suddenly, Irene's cell phone started ringing. "Excuse me everybody." Still fighting down her laughter, Irene got up and went into the living room. As soon as she got there however, she gasped. She couldn't move. Her phone rang two, three, four times before the answering machine picked up. For once, Irene didn't really care. Because, standing directly across from her on the other side of the room, casually leaning his elbow on the TV, was Rick.
A/N: I know, kind of short chapter (for me anyway), but I just had to leave it there. Grins evilly I promise, more soon to come!